Marine propulsion apparatus



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D. F. ASBURY MARINE PROPULSION APPARATUS 1920 2 Sheets-Sheei 1 OriginalFile-f; Sept. 13

Unit. 14 192% LMLW D. F. ASBURY MARINE PRQPULSION APPARATUS 1 OriginalFiled Sept. 13. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented eta id, l.

IPFULSION PAFIATUE. 7

Application died aeptember 13, 19%, Serial Ito. aoaaza. Renewed August16, law. denial Il a. Matti.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, DORSEY F. Asmmr, a citizen of the United States, andresident of Washington, in the District of Columbia,

have invented certain new and useful Tmimprovements in outboard orportable motors of the type embracing in a single small unit a completepropelling mechanism,-my purpose bein to overcome some of the morenoteworth isadvantages encountered and manifeste motors of thischaracter.

It is well known that present types of outboard motors subject the craftto which v they are attached to excessiye vibration ,which is not onlyextremely disagreeable-to the-crafts occupants, but is harmful to thecraft itself, and it is one of the important objects of my invention toovercome this objectionable feature by providing a motor of suchconstruction and manner of arranging and connecting it with a craft thatvibration of the craft due to operation of the motor will be eliminated.

in accomplishing the foregoin l have been enabled to eliminate considerais of the noise and racket resulting from operation of prior types ofoutboard motors; to provide a clean, out of sight, light weight motor ofeatest eficiency because its power is deivered direct to the propeller;to overcome the run around edect of outboard motors and provide forautomatic straight steering;

and to minimize the number of essential parts and mechanisms, andprovide a comact apparatus easily assembled and unlikey to get out oforder.

The features of novelty whereby I am able to accomplish the foregoingare susceptible of embodiment in various mechanicalstructures and usessuch as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but itis to beunderstood that the structures shown are merely intended to disclose theessential features of my invention in a preferred form and that thescope of my invention is as defined in the appended claims. a

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denotecorresponding parts in hit the diflerent views- Fig. 11 is a centralvertical section through in the use of present types of my improvedpropelling apparatus showing the same connected to a. craft;

Fig. 2, a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; i

Fig.3, a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4:, a detail perspective showing the manner of connecting the motorwith the will be observed that my improved propul= sion apparatusconsists of an exlosion motor including essentially a cyliner 10, piston11, crank case 12, crank shaft 13 and connecting rod 14:. To facilitatethe construction and assembly of this motor the same is preferablyembodied in two main parts, that part including the cylinder, crank caseproper, and other parts, and a second.

part adapted to be bolted or otherwise secured to the first part andincluding the fuel mixing devices and the housing for the timer shaft,timer gears etc. The motor is preferably of the two cycle t pe in whichthe explosive mixture is force into the explosion chamber by being firstcomressed in'the base or crank case 2, and sai crank case includes foreand aft housings 15 and 16, respectively within which the crank shaftfinds bearings, the housing 15 being plugged by a member 17 and ahearing or bloc 18 of lignum-vitee or other suitable material beinginterposed between the inner end of this. member and the adjacent end ofthe crank shaft to receive the end thrust im arted to said crank shaftin motors of t is type, wherein the propeller is secured directly to thecrank shaft.

The rearwardly extending rtion of the crank shaft 13 projects throngspaced bearing sleeves 19 and 20 fixedm the housing 16, the lattersleeve rejecting slightly beyond the end of said ousing as shown, andbetween said bearing sleeves are arranged a pair of gland rings 21, andbetween each of these gland rings and the ad acent end. of therespective bearing sleeves is arranged king material 22. Each gland ringhas formed thereon a plur'alityof spaced fingers 23 and the fing'ers ofthe respective rings are adapted to intermesh and enclose the crankshaft at the point where a cavity exists between the rings due totheirrelative spaced arrangement. These fingers serve to prevent anumber of coil springs 24, arranged between the gland. rings. tomaintainthem properly engaged with the packof a propeller 26, which iskeyed to said reduced end of the shaft and is additionally securedthereonby nuts 27, one of which serves as a lock for the other, andbetween the inner propeller. securingnut and the propeller and betweentheinuts themselves are arranged felt or other similar gaskets orwashers28 to prevent leakage around the reduced portion of the shaft. -It willthus be noticed that there is a running fit or contact between adjacentends of the sleeve and the hubof the propeller and that this is the onlypoint'where it is possible for water to gain access'to the'crank shaft,and then only, when the'engine is in operation, since means has beenrovided which will be particularly describe hereinafter to preventleakage at this point when the engine is idle.

My. motor is designed to lie water cooled and is adapted to operate whensubmerged, being therefore jacketless, and as it travels in water it isimportant that its bulk be reduced to a minimum in order to offer theleast resistance to its progress. I have therefore designed a novelmeans of connecting thecrank shaft with the connecting rod 14 so thatthe crank case may be re- 7 duced to the smallest practicable size. Thisconnecting means embodies a substantially U -shaped block 29, arrangedto embrace the crank pin of-thecrank shaft 13, and provided at itsconnecting or bight portion with a bearing for the crank pin. Adapted tobe inserted between the legs of the block 29 is a shoe 31. forming thesecond half of the bearing for the crank pin. The

- lower end of the conn'ecting rod 14 is eX- ternally threaded and thelegs ofthe U- block are internally threaded, ,the threaded portion of.the rod being somewhat smaller in diameter than the threaded. portion.of the block, and the end of the connecting rod .is-adapted tobe'inserted between the i legs ofthe'block into c'ohtac'twith-the shoe 31and a nut 32, having internal threads. engaged with the threaded portionof the in% operation.

rod, and external threads, for engagement with the threads of the legsof the U-block, is then rotated to engage said last mentionedthreads tosecure all of said parts together and in place, where they are locked bya cotter pin 33 passing through the connectin rod and received inrecesses in the nut. n order'to prevent rotation of the connecting-rodthe shoe 31 has one or more recesses 34 cut in its upper face and thelower end of the rod has a gib or lugs 35 for engagement in theserecesses, and whilo this is a preferred construction it 1s apparent thatthe. arrangement might be reversed by recessing the rod and providinglugs or gibs on the shoe, or the desired result might be accomplished insome other manner. To disconnect the rod from the block it is onlynecessary to remove the cotter and then rotate the nut to disengage thethreads; between it and the legs of the block, whereupon the block,shoe, rod, and nut may be readily relatively separated and also removedfrom the crank pin.

The exhaust from the motor passes u ward through a passage 36 in acastin 3 formed either integral with or separate %r the cylinder 10, andthence downward through asecond passage 38 in said casting,

and finally out through the open end of said second passage, the casting37 serving as a support for a fuel tank 39 which in turn acts as asupport for the coil and batteries of the ignition ystem for the engine.

. Suitably arranged in the second main part of the engine is a fuelregulatin needle valve 40, to which fuel is sup lied i rom the tank 39through a pipe 41, and also arranged in said second main part of theengine, adjacent to the valve 40, is an air valve 42 to which air issupplied through a hollow vertically arranged steering column 43, to theupper end of which is secured a hollow tiller 44, whereby air may entersaid column. By this arrangement the operator of the apparatus may graspthe tiller in the usual manner to hold the motor steady when it isdesired to start the same, and with the same hand may partially or fullyclose the air entrance end of the tiller to thereby choke the air supplyto the motor and thus facilitate the startxtendin through the column 43is a shaft 44 which carries a bevel gear 45 at its lower end arranged inmeshing relation with a similar gear 46 formed on the crank portion ofthe crank shaft 13. The upper end of this shaft carries a contact makingand breaking device 47, operating in conjunction with a timer 48 carriedby an adjacent portion of the column or tiller, for producing at propertimes a spark in the plug 49 in the head of the cylinder 10, the plugbeing encased by a water tight housing 50. and the upper end of theshaft 44 being additionally all) provided with means. whereby it may beutilized to impart rotation to the crank shaft through the gears and 46for starting the en ine.

y y apparatus, .as described in the foregoing, is particularlyadapted-for the propulsion of small craft, although susceptible of usefor various other purposes, but when used for the former purpose isadapted to operate when submerged, being connected with and supported bythe craft in a novel and peculiar manner whereby the objects set forthin the beginning of this specification are accomplished.

The manner of connecting the apparatus with the craft include meanswhereby the apparatus is yieldably supported for movement in alltransverse directions, said means consisting of a bracket 51 ofif-shaped cross section secured to the craft and carrying at its lowerend a pair of oppositely disposed lateral ln s 52 which are spaced fromthe craft,'wh1le at its upper end it is provided with a socket 53 toreceive a coiled vertically acting compression spring 54:. The enginehas secured thereto or formed thereon a bifurcated member 55 including apair of relatively s aced downwardly extending legs 56 adapte tostraddle and cooperate with the lugs 52 to connect the apparatus withthe craft, and the tiller 44. carries a downwardly extending lug 57adapted to be received interiorly of the coil'spring 54: whereby theapparatus is yieldably supported when the motor is in operation theforward portion of the legs 56 contact with the bracket 51 on the craft,whereby the craft is pushed forward, and when the motor is reversed saidlegs engage the lugs 52 to exert a pull to move the creaft rearwardly.The legs 56 are so relativel disposed with respect to the longitudinalaxi of the motor as to compensate the run around tendency of thepropeller to thereby assure straight steering of the craft at all timesexcept whenthe apparatus is swun by means of thetiller 44 upon the lug 5as a pivot to eflect turning of the craft.

It is well known that the principal vibration of a motor of the typeshown in the drawings is in the lane of rotation of its crank shaft, andwhile the yieldable connection between the craft and motor serves torelieve the craft of considerable of the motors vibration, the motoritself being prevented from vibrating to any appreciable extent by meansof fore and aft vertical and horizontal fins or blades 58 and 59,respectively, secured to the motor in any preferred manner, and adaptedto operate against the waters inertia to hold the motor, steady.Preferably, the motor and I these fins or blades have secured theretobouyant material 60 of cork or the like whereby the craft is relieved ofa portion of the weight (of'the apparatus, and this material is ofstreamline contour or shape in order that the apparatus of the blades orfins 58 and to this bracket is pivoted an intermediate portion of alever 63, one end of which is formed into a yoke 64, connected to theflexible band 61, whereby movement of the lever will slide the band onthe sleeve and hub, while the other end is provided with a handle orgrip whereby it may-be manually operated. Formed on the exhaust casting37 is a cylindrical extension 66 and fitting this extension is a plunger67 connected .to the lever near its handle, as at 68. A small port oropening 69 is provided in the exhaust casting to permit a portion of theexhaust products to enter the cylindrical extension, and act against theplunger during operation of the engine adjacent portions of the sleeve20 and the hub of the propeller whereby leakage at this point isprevented. It is thus apparent that when the engine is idle the sleeveis disposed in contact with a rotatable part of the apparatus, thusrendering the engine hard to start until the sleeve has been moved outof contact with such rotatable part, and

therefore, inasmuch as it is impracticable for the operator to manuallyhold the lever in position to dispose the sleeve out of contact with thepropeller hub and at the same time perform other operations incident tostarting, means consisting of a latch member 71 pivoted to the lever andengageable with the cylindrical extension has beenprovided to accomplishthis purpose. Thus, just prior will to starting the engine the lever 65is moved outward until the latch 71 engages with the cylindricalextension to hold the band out of contact with the propeller hub. Theapparatus is then free to be operated and the engine is started,whereupon part of the exhaustv products entering chamber 66 escapesthrough a small opening 72 in the cylindrical extension and constantlyacts againsta portion of the latch to hold the same out of enga ementwith the cylindri cal extension' Vl/ hen the latch is released incidentto starting the engine, however,

the lever 65 remains in an outwardly dis-' posed position due to theaction of "the exhaust against plunger 67 but when the engine isstopped, and the pressure of the exhaust against the plunger diminishesand plunger 67 out against the action of the spring 70, it issufiiciently strong to hold the latch raised until the lever has movedinward far enough to render itsdropping inefl'ective to prevent thelevers complete plished by inward movement. On the other hand, it willbe apparent that should the engine be started without the band havingfirst'been moved from contact with the propeller hub, as previouslystated, this will be accomplunger 6 as soon as the engine fires.

From the foregoing it will be noted that i when the motor is idle watercannot leak into the crank case, but that when the motor is runningwater may find its way to the crank shaft, and this will ordinarily beprevented from entering the crank case by packing 22, but to furtherguard againstsuch leakage I provide the crank-shaft with a smalllongitudinal opening 73 leading from the crank case. to the bearingblock 18 and to the cavity between the gland rings 21 so that the gasesto be exploded, which have a higher average pressure than the pressureof the water, may find their, way to the shaft bearings to exclude waterfrom the crank case and also serve as a means of lubricating said shaftand its bearings as well as the v packing 22.

The lade a of the propeller. is constructed heavier than the blade 6 soas to balance the crank of the motor and further assure its smoothoperation.

n is believed that the mess -advan-' tages flowing-from my improvedpropellin apparatus, as constructed in accordance wit the foregoing,will be readily appreciated and that ltSQPGIfltlOIl will be apparentwithout further detailed description. I desire 'to point out,1however,that the apparatus may be'removed from the craft by simply liftin itvertically and that it ma' be sups porte above the water by one o the.legs 52 being engaged with the socket 53, and further, that whenlowering it into the water the-bracket 51 will act as a ide and'bearingto properly engage it wit the craft. a

I claim 5- and spaced laterally disposed, contact points the exhaustacting against the combination witha submerge between the craftandsteering means movable selectively into and out of engagement withthecraft, said contact points being slidable with respect to the craft.

2. In marine propulsion apparatus, the

combination with a craft, of a submerged motor yieldably sup ortedagainst said craft in directions at r1 t angles to the latter forpushing and pulling the same, and a pair of loose relatively spacedcontacts between said craft and motor, both of said contacts beingnormally in engagement with the craft, during both pushin and pulling ofthe same and movable sing y and selectively into engagement with thecraft 4. In marine propulsioni'a paratus, the combination with a craftan an internal combustion engine for propelling the same, said engineincluding means for mixing fuel with air, of a hollow tiller leading tosaid mixing means for supplying air thereto.

5. In marine propulsion apparatus, the combination with a craft and asubmerged internal combustion engine for propelhng the. same, saidengine includin means for mixing fuel with air, of a ho! ow steerincolumn leading to said mixing means, an a hollow tiller-connected withand communicating withsaid hollow steerin whereby air is supplied tosaid means.

6. In marine propulsion agparatus, the

motor having fins to absorb its vibration, of bouyant material ofstream-line shape carried by said fins and acting to relieve the sup ortfor said motor of a portion of its weig t.

7. In apparatus of the character -described, a craft including steeringmeans, spaced laterally disposed contact points hecolumn, mix ng tweenthe craft and steering means movable selectively into and out ofengagement with the craft and meansfor propellin said craft, saidpropellin means acting w en in operation to hold said contact points inengagement with the craft.

8. In marine propulsion apparatus, the combination witha craft, of amotor for propelling the, same, and a contact between the motor and asurface of the craft, said contact being yieldablein all directionsoversaid surface, whereby vibrations of the motor are revented from beingtransmitted to the era t. r

9. In a submerged motor having a shaft extending into the watersurrounding the Inn motor, members on the shaft and motor respectivelywhose surfaces are substantially in alinement, and an elastic tubebinding against adjacent portions of said members to prevent leakagetherebetween.

10. In a submerged motor having a shaft extending into the watersurroundingthe motor, a stationary member on the motor, a member on theshaft. rotatable therewith, and a device binding against adjacentportions of said members when the motor is idle to prevent leakage ofwater into the motor, and means for moving said device out of bindingrelation with one of said members.

11. In a submerged motor having a shaft extending into the watersurrounding the motor, a stationary member on the motor, a member on theshaft rotatable therewith, and a device binding against adjacentportions of said members when the motor is idle to prevent leakage ofwater into the motor, and automatic means for moving said device out ofbinding relation with one of said members when the motor is inoperation.

12. In a submerged motor having a shaft extending into the watersurrounding the motor, a stationary member on the motor, a member on theshaft rotatable therewith, and a device binding against adjacentportions of said members when the motor is idle to prevent leakage ofwater into the motor, and means operated by the exhaust -from said motorfor moving said device out of binding relation with one ofsaid memberswhen the motor is in operation.

13. In a submerged motor having a shaft extending into the watersurrounding the motor, a stationary member on the motor, a member on theshaft rotatable therewith, and a device binding against adjacentportions of said members when the motor is idle to prevent leakage ofwater into the motor, means operated by the exhaust from said motor formoving said device out of bind-' ing relation with one of said memberswhen the motor is in operation, and automatic means tor moving saiddevice into binding relation with adjacent portions of said members whenthe exhaust ceases.

14. In a submerged motor having a shaft.

extending into the water surrounding the motor, a stationary member onthe motor, a member on the shaft rotatable therewith, a device movableinto and out of binding relation with one of said members and into andout of binding relation with adjacent portions of both of said members,means for manually moving said device out of bindingrela tion withadjacent portions of said members, a spring constantly urging saiddevice into binding relation with adjacent portions of said members, anda latch-member tor holdrelation with ers, said latch ing said device outct ad acent portions of said mem being releasable by the exhaust fromsaid engine to permit said spring to act.

15. Apparatus of the character described including a motor of thereciprocating piston type adapted to operate when submerged,

and blades rigidly connected to said motor and extending at an-angle tothe direction of reciprocation of the piston and adapted to act againstthe water in which the motor may be submerged to counteract vibrationsdue and steering means including a spring yieldable in all directionsfor supporting the propelling and steering means upon the craft. 17. Inmarine propulsion apparatus, the combination with a craft, of means forpropelling the same, and a connection between the craft and propellingmeans including a spring yieldable in all directions for supporting thepropelling means upon the craft.

18. In marine propulsion apparatus, the combination with a craft, ofmeans for steering the same, and a connection between the craft and saidsteering means including a spring yieldable in-al directions forsupporting the steering means upon the craft.-

19. In apparatus of the character described, a craft including steeringmeans, and spacedlaterally disposed contact points between the craft andsteering means movable' selectively into and out of engagement with thecraft.

20; In apparatus of the character described, a craft including steeringmeans, spaced laterally disposed contact points between the cratt andsteering means movable selectively into and out of engagement with thecraft, and means 'for holding said contact points in engagement with thecraft.

'21. In apparatus of the character described, a craft including steeringmeans, a pair of oppositely disposed lugs on said craft, and abifurcated member including legs engageable with said lugs to flexiblysecure the steerin means to the craft, said legs being mova leselectively into and out of engagement with the craft when the steeringmeans is turned relatively thereto.

22. In apparatus of the character described, a craft including steeringmeans, a pair of oppositely'disposed lugs carried by ion andspaced fromthe craft, and a bifurcated member carried by the steering means andincluding laterally spaced legs having angularly extending extremitiesengageable with said lugs to flexibly secure the steering means tothecraft, said legs being movable selecpropelling the same and a contactbetween the motor and a surface of the craft, said contact beingslidable in all directions over said surface, whereby vibrations of themotor are prevented from being transmitted to the craft.

24.111 marine propulsion apparatus, a

'reciprocating piston type having laterally disposed blades securedthereto adapted to act against the water in which the motor may besubmerged to counteract vibrations due to the reciprocation of thepiston.

26. The combination with a driving member, of a device forming a seal toprevent leakage of fluid around said member when the same is idle, andmeans whereby said seal is maintained broken when the member is inoperation.

-27..The combination with a driving member, of a device forming a sealto prevent leakage of fluid around said member when the same is idle,means whereby said seal is maintained broken when the member is inoperation, and other means acting to prevent leakage of fluid aroundsaid mem-' her when the same is in operation.

28. The combination with a rotatable member, of a device to preventleakage of fluid therearound, said device being in contact with saidmember when the same is idle and being out of contact therewith when thesame is running.

29. The combination with a rotatable member,-of a device to preventleakage of fluid therearound, said device being in contact with saidmember when the same is idle and beingmoved out of contact therewithautomatlcally when the same is running. I

30. In a propulsion apparatus, a fluid body, a shaft extending into saidfluid body and carrying a propeller and a seal preventing the leakage offluid around said shaft when the propeller is idle, said seal beingautomatically broken when the propeller is in operation. I 31. In apropulsion apparatus in-combination, a fluid body, a shaft extendin intoi said fluid body and carrying a prope er, a

seal preventing the leakage of fluid around said shaft when thepropeller is. idle, said so pr pel r is in operation, and other means toprevent leakage around said shaft when I the propeller is in operation.I

32. In a propulsion apparatus, a motor, a fluid body, a. shaft extendinfrom sa1d motor into sail fluid body an carrying a propeller, and a sealpreventing the leakhing automatically broken when the age of fluidaround said shaft when the motor is idle, said seal being automaticallybroken when the motor is in operation.

33. Marine propulsion apparatus including a submergible motor having acrank shaft and a crank case, a seal preventing the leakage of wateraround the shaft into the case when the motor is idle, and means wherebysaid seal is broken when the motor is started, and maintained brokenwhile the motor is running.

34. In a propulsionapparatus, a motor, a fluid body, a shaft driven fromsaid motor and extending into said fluid body, a seal preventing theleakage of water around said shaft when the motor is idle, and meanswhereby said seal is broken automatically by the ressure of the exhaustfrom the motor w en the latter is started and maintained broken duringoperation of the same.

35. In marine propulsion apparatus, the combination with a craft, of proelling means operatively connected to sai craft for yielding movement inall directions with respect thereto.

36. In marine propulsion apparatus, the combination with a craft, ofmeans for propelling the same, and a connection between the craft andpropelling means including a member yieldable in all directions for suporting the propelling means upon the era t.

37. The combination with a craft, of an outboard motor, and means foroperatively connecting the two whereby the motor may yield in alldirections with respect to the craft.

38. In marine ro ulsion apparatus, a submerged motor aving a propellershaft extending exteriorly thereo a spring, a member, means with whichsaid member coacts under the influence of said spring to provide a sealpreventing the leakage of fluid around said shaft into the motor whenthe latter is idle, and means acting automatically to break said sealwhen the motor is started. I

39. Marine propulsion apparatus including a submergible explosion motorhaving a crank shaft and a crank case, a seal preventin the leakage ofwater around the shaft into the crank case when the motor is idle, meanswhereby said seal is maintained broken when the motor is running,-

' DORSEY- FROST ASBURY.

Witnesses: I

J our: H. Srooms, Ftolmnon A. Bnmn.

